Harman Meeting at State Department Concerned with Economic Issues

State Department officials said today that yesterday’s meeting of Israel Ambassador Avraham Harman with Raymond Hare, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, was a follow-up of Israel Finance Minister Pinhas Sapir’s recent economic discussions here, pertaining to matters of mutual economic interest.

On “the general issue of border violence,” Department officials meanwhile commented — without reference to yesterday’s Hare-Harmon meeting — “We deplore the loss of human life in incidents of this kind. United Nations machinery exists for dealing with violations and disputes there. We support that machinery, and believe that border provocations and incursions should be dealt with through it.” This statement was described by the U.S. officials as the “current and standing” views of the United States on the general issue of border violence.